Canberra [Australia], November 3: The Australian government has added feral goats to its war on invasive species.
Tanya Plibersek, minister for the environment and water, on Friday released a new plan to curb the impact of feral goats on Australia's native species.
Feral goats are found in every Australian state and territory, where they compete with native animals for food, carry disease and damage ecosystems.
"Invasive species are one of the most serious threats to native plants and animals across Australia. Cats, horses, yellow crazy ants, and now goats -- we have to deal with each of these threats to give our native species the best chance of survival," Plibersek said in a statement.
According to the federal government, there are over 5.8 million feral goats in the state of New South Wales alone, including in the Blue Mountains National Park, where they damage fragile cliff faces.
They can also be found on at least 25 islands in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, where they have been found to disturb bird nesting sites and cause severe coastal erosion.
"Goats don't belong in fragile places like the Blue Mountains and the Great Barrier Reef islands. They compete with native species for food and shelter and water, while trampling over their critical habitats, causing erosion," Plibersek said.
The government's plan recommends new control measures to protect 128 threatened species from feral goats, including the trial of new baits and the use of drones and thermal cameras for aerial culling programs.
It calls for more research into the impact of goats on the Australian environment.
Source: Xinhua